It’s amazing how many times you can drive by a barn find and have no idea that it’s even there. Like the old saying goes, “If it were a snake it would have bitten you.” Thankfully, this one didn’t bite me, but I’ve driven right by it more times than I can imagine. Listed here on Craigslist near Wichita, Kansas, this is a true barn find that has been resting for nearly four decades.
The seller states that they drove this truck into the barn in 1979, where it has been sitting ever since. The mention of a grain door on the tailgate would pretty easily indicate that this old Ford encountered some use as a farm truck. In the world where tandem axle trucks and eighteen-wheelers are the common grain haulers, it’s amazing to me that a truck like this was used for such a purpose. I bet it has some good stories to tell if it could talk. Hopefully, someone will resurrect it and be able to hear some of those stories.
The pictures are limited, but it appears to be a fairly complete truck and doesn’t look to be too beat up. The seller believes that it could be made to run pretty easy. It’s hard to not be pessimistic here, though, knowing that it has been sitting for so long. This also begs the question of why it was parked so long ago. Was there a major problem? Or maybe it was just parked in favor of a newer model?
It would be interesting to know what someone is going to do with this project. These are popular trucks with unique styling so I believe someone will do something with it. While I appreciate rat rods for what they are, I hope that won’t be the fate for this one. If feasible, it would be great to see this one get fixed up and driven as is. If not, seeing this F-250 fully restored would be pretty incredible. So, is the $5,000 asking price right for a project like this?
Trucks seem to be faring better in the gradual down turn of the older market, so there’s a slim chance this one will go to an enthusiast. Drawback is the 3/4 ton, frame and bed might not survive. That said, it would probably be used as a donor if the cab, fenders and nose are better than what a potential buyer might have. Otherwise, kind of iffy. As a donor that price might not work in today’s market.
Had a ’54 3/4 ton similar to this one. Mine was a 6 cylinder/4-speed
truck and yes, it did have grain box door in the tailgate as well. If
some pics of the interior were also submitted, I think you’d see a
PTO lever that when pulled, would raise and lower the bed of this
truck just like a dump truck! That’s how mine was set up anyhow
and it NEVER ran out of uses. Made a lot of money on weekends
hauling and unloading gravel for someone’s driveway. In winter,
we’d use it to salt our own driveway. Traded it and some cash
to Dad for Mom’s ’66 Caddy Calais 4-door HT. My uncle bought it
and drove for many years after. Sure wished I had it now. The
stupid things you do when you’re 16.
Not many pics. Need to know about severity of the rust. Is that a bullet hole in the hood?? Five large seems pricey with the unknowns.
Good luck to the new owner!
Dam I just came thru Wichita Sunday coming back from Mustang, Oklahoma for their Mustang Stampede car show. If I had seen this then I would have stopped just to see how decent of a truck it really is. Oh well the wife at least took third place with her new toy 2012 Mustang GT/CS.
After 24 years of service, it deserved a rest.
Uncle Bob nails it again, I love these trucks, my daily transportation, is a 53 1/2 ton pick up. I have had 3 others, 2 I built for myself and one I built for someone else. I think this truck is overpriced for what it is, restoring this truck as something other than a 1/2 ton pick up, is not a good choice, and its not worth that money for the parts you can use. I know people will argue that, and that’s OK, just be honest after you do it, and let me know if you would do it again.
Used to have an F250 my late wife bought me.It had a 392 out of a 1966 T-Bird. The last owner told me that this particular truck worked at one of the local Air Force Base as a “follow me” truck for aircraft and such.
Its worth 5g all day long as its complete and still original . Even for a project its still worth it as fat fenders are getting hard to find !
The same truck minus engine and transmission 2,100.00 available in the central valley of California. On Facebook Marketplace check it out.